Annotation from the Connection Collection

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Annotation:Based on a study of Hispanic high-performing Texas schools on the Texas-Mexico border, this article discusses parent perceptions of parental involvement versus those of teachers and other school personnel. In addition, effective parent involvement strategies used by these schools are identified. Also, the differences found in the nature of parental involvement in elementary versus secondary schools are explored. Three themes of what constitutes effective parent involvement were identified: parents participating in formal and informal activities, parents and school staff creating collaborative relationships, and the school developing a people-oriented professional atmosphere. Teachers and parents defined parental involvement differently, with teacher perceptions focusing on academic achievement outcomes and parent perceptions being concerned with the childÕs social and moral development. Five categories of parent involvement best practices found at these schools were building on the cultural values of Hispanic parents, emphasizing personal contact, fostering communication, creating a warm environment, and facilitating structural accommodations for the involvement. Although the authors present findings from Hispanic high performing schools, the results are likely to be applicable across different contexts and informative to school personnel developing or maintaining family involvement programs.